Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 82
May 30, 2025
MAREUX shares "Ébèné Fumé video/single feat Riki. New album out June 27 on Revolution/Warner. LA performances announced.
MAREUX
Releases “Ébèné Fumé” Featuring Riki
Listen / Watch Here
Sophomore Album Nonstop Romance
Out June 27 via Revolution / Warner Records
Announces LA Performances
Photo By Cameron McCool
Los Angeles, CA (May 30, 2025) – Revered pop/darkwave musician and producer Mareux (Aryan Ashtiani) unites with multifaceted artist/singer Riki on his nostalgic new single “Ébèné Fumé” out today via Revolution/Warner Records. Riki’s charismatic, confessional vocal performance is met with Mareux’s intricately crafted electronics for a compelling dance-pop track. Riki’s standout presence and masterful ability to merge music, movement, and style is followed throughout “Ébèné Fumé” striking video which was created by Muted Widows (Michael E Linn, Nedda Afsari, and Michael R. Zumaya).
Watch / Share / Playlist “Ébèné Fumé”
Where most artists would double down on the sleek, smooth-as-onyx darkwave and goth-pop that landed them in the spotlight in the first place, Mareux’s sophomore album - Nonstop Romance - is rough and unmannered, completely drunk in love and refusing to walk it off. Like a frilly valentine scuffed on hard pavement, it’s simultaneously gushing and fractured, distorted into illegibility but transparent in its intentions.
Throughout Nonstop Romance, Mareux sets up his songs like Venus fly traps, beaming romance and thumping beats underlit in a sinister red. Maintaining that balance—between the album’s obvious pleasure and the quiet threat that accompanies it—is central to its ethos.
“I’m trying to make something that’s reflective of me getting older,” Mareux says. While that’s usually code for calmer, more intimate material, the top priority of the adult life Mareux both celebrates and questions is having fun. “Could you put it on in your house with people around and not bring the mood down?” was the question that guided him.
“I’ve noticed that as artists get better or more seasoned, they go for a more polished, studio sound and lose their grit,” Mareux says. “I like when music sounds like found footage.” While writing and recording Nonstop Romance in his bedroom in Los Angeles’ Lincoln Heights neighborhood over the span of 2024, he’d set up an old CRT TV and watched films on mute for inspiration—anything from Andrei Tarkovsky and Alejandro Jodorowsky to Hype Williams’ Nas and DMX-starring Belly. If this sounds like an unlikely combination, Mareux fits them together naturally in Nonstop Romance, blending smeared tape-residue synths into readymade club hits.
On Nonstop Romance, Mareux prioritizes feel and vibe over clarity. Still, anyone who fell in love with his music via his viral cover of The Cure’s “The Perfect Girl” (now certified platinum Stateside, and gold in France) or the heartfelt noir of 2023’s Lovers from the Past will find plenty to swoon over here. This is an album that wears its title on its sleeve; an earnest manifestation. Though he brings a meticulous ear to the across this album, it’s all in service to a greater goal. “I only care about one thing,” Mareux says, “and that’s being in love.”
Pre-Order/Save Nonstop Romance
Mareux has announced two Southern California performances: Friday, December 12 in Pomona at Fox Theater and on Saturday, December 13 he’ll headline The Novo in Los Angeles. Tickets for both shows are on sale here – stay tuned for additional live announcements.
Nonstop Romance Artwork | Photo By Cameron McCool
Nonstop Romance Tracklist:
1 - Blackmail
2 - Radio Club
3 - Nonstop Romance
4 - Wild at Heart
5 - Ébène Fumé Ft. Riki
6 - Prodigy
7 - Blue
8 - Laugh Now Cry Later
9 - Snake Eyes
Mareux Live Dates:
Dec 12: Pomona, CA - Fox Theater (Tickets)
Dec 13: Los Angeles, CA - The Novo (Tickets)
yeule releases new album + new music video
YEULE RELEASES NEW ALBUM EVANGELIC GIRL IS A GUN VIA NINJA TUNE
HEADING ON UK & EUROPEAN TOUR THIS SUMMER
yeule by Vasso Vu
Evangelic Girl is a Gun
LISTEN:
“What3vr” Trailer
WATCH:
https://youtu.be/2UuyQt16LZg?si=sGmnnz5pLp4gJG6l
(May 30, 2025) - Today, yeule releases their new album Evangelic Girl is a Gun via Ninja Tune. The album is yeule’s most unrestrained and emotionally baring work yet, as they grapple with ideas of a self-destructive identity burning through the canvas of post-modernity. The album release follows yeule’s late night TV debut on Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney last week where they performed their single “Skullcrusher.” The performance began with yeule bent over backwards on a dirt bike surrounded by backup dancers and an ethereal fog. Stereogum described the performance as, “serious pop star moves.”
Alongside the album release yeule is sharing a new music video for album track “What3vr” (dropping soon and watch trailer here), directed by yeule and shot by Bryan Allen Lamb featuring a striking video of yeule attempting to rescue someone bound and injured, sparking a discussion around what it means to be human.
Speaking on the album release yeule shares, “And now, every unreal part of you is every unreal part of me." Accompanied by still visual artworks made in collaboration with artist Vasso Vu and videos for the previous singles, “Skullcrusher” and “Evangelic Girl is a Gun” co-directed by yeule and Neil Krug, the album explores the duality of darkness, as well as yeule’s personal history to their role as the "painter.” Through the album’s hypnotic melodies, they present a portrait of the tortured artist trapped within an image, as Ćmiel’s haunting vocals act as an emotional chokehold atop dance beats.
Evangelic Girl is a Gun sees Ćmiel putting their own “cyborgian” spin on Bristol trip-hop and ‘90s gothic. The album features production from A. G. Cook, Chris Greatti, Mura Masa, Clams Casino, Fitnesss and Kin Leonn, Ćmiel’s trusted collaborator and co-executive producer of 2023’s softscars. yeule’s untreated vocals on the album also contribute to a sense of burning authenticity; rawness emerges as they abandon Auto-Tune. This jarring artistic styling is a turn from their glitchy previous works. As a counter to the emergence of AI, they wanted to imbue their vocals with a “raw, irreplaceable edge,” they explain.
The new album follows their celebrated record softscars, which incorporated distorted guitars and alternative production. The arrival of softscars was met with immense critical acclaim earning their second ‘Best New Music’ stamp from Pitchfork, as well as applause from outlets such as The New York Times, The FADER, Stereogum, Alternative Press, NPR among others. The album followed their critically acclaimed 2022 release, Glitch Princess, which also received a Pitchfork ‘Best New Music’ stamp and overwhelming critical praise.
A chameleonic auteur guided by a multidisciplinary ethos, yeule crafts entire worlds and personas through their music, weaving together everything from the classical canon, hypermodern internet cultures, academic theory, the esoteric, and their own carnal desires.
Listen to the album above and find full tour routing below.
Tour Dates:
7/1 - Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
7/2 - London, UK @ O2 Forum Kentish Town
7/5 - Roskilde, Denmark @ Roskilde Festival
7/7 - Berlin, Germany @ Columbia Theatre
7/9 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg
7/11 - Paris, France @ Le Trabendo
7/10 - 12 - Slovakia @ Pohoda Festival
Evangelic Girl is a Gun album artwork
Evangelic Girl is a Gun
May 30th 2025
Ninja Tune
1. Tequila Coma
2. The Girl Who Sold Her Face
3. eko
4. 1967
5. VV
6. Dudu
7. What3vr
8. Saiko
9. Evangelic Girl is a Gun
10. Skullcrusher
Connect with yeule:
Flyte shares new song "I'm so Down" + New LP 'Between You and Me' out August 29; US Tour Dates on Sale!
FLYTE
SHARE AN UNVARNISHED ANTHEM FOR LOVE
“I’M SO DOWN”
THEIR NEW FULL-LENGTH ALBUM
BETWEEN YOU AND ME
OUT AUGUST 29TH VIA NETTWERK
2025 HEADLINE TOUR DATES
IN NORTH AMERICA, THE UK, AND THE EU ON SALE NOW!
Photo Credit: Katie Silvester
Listen to “I’m so Down”:
May 30, 2025 – Today, beloved UK band Flyte unveils another cut from their forthcoming full-length album, Between You and Me. On “I’m so Down,” frontman Will Taylor says: “The song was written as an ode to the codependent people-pleaser. ‘I’m so down’ translates as ‘I’m up for it’. We wanted the song to be melodic and upbeat on the surface, but the delivery and subtext of the lyrics to imply a solemnity that comes as a result of wanting to say yes to everything, the weight that can be carried by always serving other people’s needs.”
With the help of producer Ethan Johns (Paul McCartney, Laura Marling), Flyte harness the spontaneity of his recording ethos: “It’s just one take, the first take, with no overdubs. You’re hearing the sound of the three of us reacting musically, and we wanted to preserve that humanity.” From the initial count-in heard on the song to the final hum of harmony, it almost feels like we’re sitting in the room with the band as they cut the track.
“I’m so Down” joins “Hurt People,” “Emily and Me” and “I’m Not There” which will appear on the new record, due out on August 29th via Nettwerk.
Flyte is also excited to bring their new music on the road to North America, the UK, and Europe! They’ll kick things off on September 10th at Concorde 2 in Brighton and conclude at the O2 Kentish Town Forum in London on September 26th. From there, Will and Nick will make a grand return to North America, playing their largest venues in the territory to date. From there, they will return to Europe, with routing through Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and France. Find the full list of dates below, and for more information, visit: https://www.flytetheband.com/.
LISTEN & SHARE FLYTE “I'M SO DOWN” HERE:
About Flyte:
After the success of their 2023 self-titled album, Flyte, the band has become known for their “vocal chemistry” (The Needle Drop), and musical “harmony” (Rolling Stone), as well as developing a tight-knit circle of creatives. Past collaborations include Laura Marling, Billie Marten, Madison Cunningham, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Staves, and Florence Pugh, as well as making fans of high-profile artists like Sigrid, Holly Humberstone, and more.
To make their fourth album, Between You and Me, Flyte—Will Taylor and Nick Hill—set out to return to something raw and instinctual. Just weeks before joining legendary producer Ethan Johns in his rural studio, the duo began writing at a small window table in Taylor’s North East London flat. They wanted to see what would happen if they didn’t overthink their songs, if they simply sang about their lives in the moment—candid reflections on love, fallibility, and staying vulnerable. They didn’t fuss over demos or arrangements; they just wanted to capture the feelings. They knew Johns thrived on intuition, so they let that sensibility guide them from the beginning.
The result, Between You And Me, is the most affecting and singular album in Flyte’s discography, a stirring and recognizable map of what it means to come of age as musicians, friends, and people. It suggests just how much one can grow, sprouting even from the darker corners of our existence.
Taylor and Hill have long aimed to make Flyte records feel emotionally complete, but Between You and Me doesn’t just check boxes—it feels lived in, like a series of diary entries set to harmony. These songs don’t just reflect who Flyte are now—they capture how they got here, moment by moment, with every chord and lyric a testament to trust, growth, and real-time reckoning.
Flyte 2025 Fall Tour Dates:
UK TOUR DATES:
Sept 09 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
Sept 11 – Bristol, UK @ Trinity
Sept 12 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms
Sept 13 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
Sept 15 – York, UK @ The Crescent
Sept 16 – Newcastle, UK @ The Grove
Sept 17 – Glasgow, UK @ St. Lukes
Sept 19 – Belfast, UK @ Empire
Sept 20 – Dublin, IRE @ Button Factory
Sept 23 – Liverpool, UK @ Arts Club Theatre
Sept 24 – Leeds, UK @ Stylus
Sept 25 – Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy
Sept 26 – London, UK @ O2 Kentish Town Forum
NORTH AMERICA TOUR DATES:
Oct 06 – Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl
Oct 07 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s
Oct 08 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
Oct 10 – San Francisco, CA @ Brick and Mortar
Oct 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
Oct 13 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
Oct 14 – Denver, CO @ Ophelia’s
Oct 16 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s
Oct 17 – Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips
Oct 18 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
Oct 22 – Nashville, TN @ Basement East
Oct 23 – Asheville, NC @ Eulogy
Oct 24 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Oct 25 – Durham, NC @ Motorco
Oct 27 – Washington, DC @ Pearl St
Oct 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Oct 29 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Oct 31 – Boston, MA @ The Red Room at Cafe 939
Nov 01 – Montreal, QC @ Bar De Ritz
Nov 02 – Toronto, ON @ The Drake Underground
Nov 05 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
Nov 06 – Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club
EU Tour Dates:
Nov 20 – Bern, CH @ ISC Club Bern
Nov 30 – Munich, DE @ Strom
Dec 01– Cologne, DE @ Club Volta
Dec 02 – Hamburg, DE @ Bahnhof Pauli
Dec 04 – Oslo, NOR @ Parkteatret
Dec 05 – Malmo, SE @ Plan B
Dec 06 – Stockholm, SE @ Nalen
Dec 07 – Berlin, DE @ Hole 44
Dec 10 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix
Dec 11 – Amsterdam, NLD @ Melkweg
Dec 12 – Nijmegen, NLD @ Doornroosje
Dec 13 – Paris, FR @ Les Etoiles
Pleasure Pill release spellbinding new single "Don't Fly Away" out now from debut studio album 'Hang A Star' coming June 27
ADDICTION WARNING:
PLEASURE PILL
RELEASE SPELLBINDING NEW SINGLE “DON’T FLY AWAY”
FUELED BY JANGLY GUITAR CHORDS, ENTRANCING MELODIES, & INTROSPECTIVE LYRICS THAT CHANNEL THE SPIRIT OF ADOLESCENT WANDERLUST
FROM DEBUT STUDIO ALBUM HANG A STAR
OUT JUNE 27 VIA À LA CARTE RECORDS
LISTEN HERE | WATCH MUSIC VIDEO HERE
SPRING / SUMMER 2025 U.S. TOUR ON SALE NOW
HITTING SEATTLE, DENVER, PHOENIX, AND MORE WITH BENCHES THROUGH JUNE – SEE FULL DATES BELOW
COURTED THEN SHUNNED BY MAJOR LABELS, PROBABLY FOR BEING JUST TOO GOOD, PLEASURE PILL, UNDETERRED SET OUT TO MAKE AN ALBUM TO RECAPTURE THE SOUND OF THE SEMINAL ‘90S BANDS LIKE PRIMAL SCREAM AND THE STONE ROSES
THEY ARE NOT PASTICHE BUT LIVE IN THE CURRENT UNDERGROUND OF CONTEMPORARY INDIE ROCK AND HIT YOU LIKE AN INTRAVENOUS SHOT OF DOPAMINE IN YOUR EYEBALL
(credit: brandon mosquera)
“Like a Millennial Oasis”
SPIN Magazine
“pairing Beatles-esque harmonies with a rollicking rhythmic core and anthemic sheen”
Under the Radar
“evokes such a magnetic melody that any vintage aspirations are outmuscled by a pure, stone-cold, sonic hypnosis”
Paste Magazine
“…you’re in for Oasis’ soaring take on Britpop with a bit of the psychedelic influence of Spacemen 3 and the cheeky radio hits of The Dandy Warhols."
FLOOD
Friday, May 30 - Today, one of the most addictive indie rock bands to step onto the scene in recent years, Pleasure Pill released a new single from their forthcoming debut studio album Hang A Star – showcasing timeless Britpop with indie rock swagger set for release on June 27 via à La Carte Records – pre-order here. Channeling the spirit of adolescent wanderlust fueled by jangly guitar chords, entrancing melodies, and introspective lyrics, “Don’t Fly Away” is out now with its sensational music video.
Listen to “Don’t Fly Away” here
Watch official music video here
U.S. TOUR DATES
WITH BENCHES
May 29 Thu - Portland, OR - Polaris Hall
May 31 Sat - Seattle, WA - Barboza
Jun 1 Sun - Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret
Jun 4 Wed - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
Jun 5 Thu - Denver, CO - Lost Lake
Jun 6 Fri - Colorado Springs, CO - Vultures (NO BENCHES, PLEASURE PILL ONLY)
Jun 7 Sat - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
Jun 8 Sun - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar
connect with pleasure pill
Instagram ★ TikTok
Smerz announce fall headline tour dates
SMERZ ANNOUNCE FALL HEADLINE TOUR DATES
NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR “DREAMS”
Big city life Out Now, Listen Here
“It’s so effective that you have to wonder what kind of witchcraft they’re working with” - Pitchfork
“On their second album Big City Life, Smerz have hit their stride” - The FACE
“‘Big city life’ captures the chaos and wonder of city living with precision and dynamism...It’s a fizzing postmodern fairytale.” - CLASH
Following the release of Smerz' highly anticipated new album Big city life, the beloved Norwegian duo announce a run of headline tour dates that will see them perform in Europe and North America this fall. Smerz’ Big city life comes to life on stage with one-finger piano riffs, strings presets, drums and voices, telling stories lived and imagined. While Smerz have previously headlined major cities around the world, including notable performances at the Tate Modern, MOCA Geffen, Berghain, MIRA Festival with Weirdcore, KODE with the Norwegian National Company of Contemporary Dance, MUTEK, and Club To Club, this fall the duo will set out on their first major headline tour. Full list of dates below.
As Big city life resonates in the real world, Smerz unveil a new music video for “Dreams.” Directed by lEngUa and starring the duo, the video dramatizes the tracks’ ascending synths and reverb-laden vocal chant, “dream about me,” evoking a sense of yearning where the ethereal meets the corporeal.
Smerz is Henriette Motzfeldt and Catharina Stoltenberg, based in Oslo and Copenhagen. Using collages to capture moments of everyday life and dreams, Smerz tell stories of love, apathy, solitude, and friendship. The pair operates at the intersection of genres, drawing inspiration from compositional techniques in classical music, the experimentation of computer music and the immediacy of pop music, all in the palettes of girly existentialism.
The duo’s discography includes the critically acclaimed debut album Believer (XL), EPs Have fun and Okey, released through XL and Escho, as well as pop fantasy project ALLINA and choir piece Tidligere den dagen with vocal ensemble GAEA on their own label Shopping.
Occasionally stepping into theater, film, and museums, from their choir piece at the MUNCH Museum to fashion runway soundtracks, throughout their work, Smerz have been known for their ability to seamlessly navigate and create boundless sonic worlds. Listen to Big city life here.
Smerz Tour Dates:
Sept. 6 - MUNCH Museums - Oslo, Norway
Sept. 10 - Hus7 - Stockholm, Sweden
Sept. 11 - Inkonst - Malmö, Sweden
Sept. 12 - Alter Festival - Aarhus, Denmark
Sept. 13 - Alice - Copenhagen, Denmark *SOLD OUT
Sept. 14 - Alice - Copenhagen, Denmark *SOLD OUT
Sept. 25 - Kuudes Linja - Helsinki, Finland
Oct. 9 – Unsound Festival – Krakow, PL
Oct. 12 – Madame Lou’s – Seattle, WA
Oct. 13 – Holocene – Portland, OR
Oct. 15 – Holland Project – Reno, NV
Oct. 16 – Cafe du Nord – San Francisco, CA
Oct. 17 – The Regent Theater – Los Angeles, CA
Oct. 20 – Empty Bottle – Chicago, IL
Oct. 21 – The Garrison – Toronto, ON
Oct. 22 – Théâtre Fairmount – Montreal, QC
Oct. 24 – *TBA – Queens, NY
Nov. 3 – Sala B – Madrid, ES
Nov. 4 – El Pumarejo – Barcelona, ES
Nov. 5 – B.Leza – Lisbon, PT
Nov. 8 – Simple Things – Bristol, UK
Nov. 18 – Moth Club – London, UK *SOLD OUT
Nov. 19 – Moth Club – London, UK *SOLD OUT
Nov. 21 – TBA – Bern, CH
Nov. 22 – Silent Green – Berlin, DE
Smerz:
GILANARES RELEASES YOUR BRAIN IS IN THE SINK EP ON NEON GOLD / FUTURES / VIRGIN
GILANARES RELEASES YOUR BRAIN IS IN THE SINK EP
ON NEON GOLD / FUTURES / VIRGIN HERE
“MOM! THE WORLD IS ENDING ANYWAY” VISUALIZER
HERE
photo credit: Eden Mili -
Today, rising New York-based artist Gilanares unleashes her stunning debut EP, your brain is in the sink, via Neon Gold / Futures / Virgin — the powerhouse indie label that launched icons like Charli XCX, Tove Lo, MARINA, Christine and the Queens, and Phantogram. With raw intensity and cinematic emotion, Gilanares proves she belongs in that lineage, delivering a sound that is as vulnerable as it is electrifying.
The 7-track project features standout single “water my own garden” plus “Mom! The world is ending anyway” accompanied by a mesmerizing visualizer in its simplicity. Earlier, she released “if chaos killed the dinosaurs”, "cats out of the bag” and “F33D TH3 B3AST” alongside a visuals directed by her creative collaborator, Eden Mili, in thematic liminal spaces.
Gilanares adds: "Water My Own Garden is about my journey of learning to nurture myself after experiencing the cost of letting others drain my energy.”
Be sure to embark on a profound musical journey with Gilanares, an artist who fearlessly explores the intricate landscape of mental health, media's impact on youth culture, and complex, ever-changing relationships.
Through a kaleidoscope of genres, Gilanares delves into the raw and often unspoken experiences of the mind, offering solace and understanding to those who have faced the labyrinth of emotions.
Gilanares’ introspective lyrics, coupled with evocative instrumentals, create an immersive experience that resonates with the shared struggles and triumphs of the human condition.
Gilanares will celebrate her EP release on June 12th at pinkFrog in NYC: a night of music, movement and drag queens serving to her songs.
Follow Gilanares:
https://www.instagram.com/gilanares888
https://www.tiktok.com/@gilanares
https://www.youtube.com/@gilanares
Bec Lauder and The Noise Announce Debut LP, Share "Give It" Single + Video | 'The Vessel' LP Out August 22nd via Killphonic
Share "Give It" Single + Video (Ft. Brooklyn Nets Dancers)
The Vessel LP Out August 22nd via Killphonic
LISTEN & SHARE: Bec Lauder and The Noise - "Give It"Stream | YouTube
Bec Lauder and The Noise today have announced their debut LP The Vessel, due out August 22nd via Killphonic. The announcement arrives along new single "Give It," which is accompanied by a music video featuring members of the Brooklyn Nets dance team. "'Give It' is a fantastically funky anthem to strut down the street to," Lauder says. "This sultry tune lures the listener into a psychedelic funk pop dream world through sexy repetitive and rhythmic lyrics that you cannot resist dancing to. This song is paired with a flash dance style music video featuring me and a crew of dancers from the Brooklyn Nets dance team, even further emphasizing the idea of the 'Give It' fantasy; a world where you get what you want and you can shake it like nothing matters." Lauder has been covered in publications such as SPIN, Women Wears Daily, Alt Citizen, and more.
The Vessel was born in the East Village in New York City between a bunch of friends, bonding and surviving the city through music. Comprised of Maggie Bishop (drums/vocals), Soph Shreds (guitar/bass) and Lauder (vocals/guitar/bass), the band found their sound by playing over 75 shows in New York over the past year and through their recording process. This album is a love letter to the youth in this world, meant to provide a beautiful and fantastical escape from everyday chaos. It is a reaction to all of the human feelings that we have, the memories that replay in our heads and all of the artists that prove that music is freedom.
The Vessel is out August 22nd via Killphonic.
Bec Lauder and The Noise - "Give It"
The Vessel - TRACK LISTING
Bent UpGive ItMysterious BoyNobody CaresYou Want It AllMarsTranquilityTease MeLike U wanna UnderstandOasisFind A WayWithout You BEC LAUDER AND THE NOISE LINKS
Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube | TikTok | Soundcloud
AESOP ROCK’S NEW ALBUM 'BLACK HOLE SUPERETTE' OUT NOW
AESOP ROCK’S NEW ALBUM BLACK HOLE SUPERETTE OUT NOW, LISTEN TO IT HERE
LAUDED MC/PRODUCER CELEBRATES ALBUM RELEASE WITH MUSIC VIDEO FOR “COSTCO”
18-TRACK ALBUM INCLUDES FEATURES FROM ARMAND HAMMER, LUPE FIASCO, HOMEBOY SANDMAN, OPEN MIKE EAGLE, AND HANNI EL KHATIB; OUT NOW ON RHYMESAYERS
Lauded independent hip hop icon Aesop Rock has just released the latest (and arguably best) in a run of remarkable albums, Black Hole Superette, out today via Rhymesayers Entertainment. In celebration of his latest achievement, the MC/Producer has shared a music video for the album’s centerpiece “Costco,” once again created by the dream team of Aesop and his longtime visual collaborator Justin CORO Kaufman. In the visual, Aesop performs the song in a gas mask whilst paying tribute to the five pillars as Coro creates a meticulously detailed graffiti piece in tandem - check it here.
Entirely self-produced, and blessed by features from a veritable who’s-who of the most talented MCs on either side of the mainstream/underground divide (Lupe Fiasco, Homeboy Sandman, Open Mike Eagle, billy woods and Elucid of Armand Hammer), Black Hole Superette is one of the most technically accomplished LPs in a discography brimming with them. Black Hole Superette is about the pull of the invisible (or all-too-visible) forces around us and the way they shape our psyches. From the fluorescent-colored energy drinks at the corner store to the patchwork blocks one must traverse to get there, this is an album about the small factors that comprise the immensity of life. The album—already the fourth in a exceptionally productive 2020s for Aes—frequently plays like something half-remembered from a dream.
Aesop has enhanced the liminal qualities of the album by launching a corresponding gaming experience. Aesop Rock's Black Hole Superette Experience is a surreal, first-person exploration game set in a fictional convenience store brimming with absurdity, hidden meanings, and sonic treasures. As users wander the aisles in search of audio fragments, they unlock cryptic words of wisdom from Aesop Rock himself. Players make their way through the entire Black Hole Superette album, uncover exclusive content, and dig into a universe packed with deep cuts, easter eggs, and offbeat lore only the most dedicated heads will decode. The game can be accessed here.
Exclusive merchandise, including totes, onesies, t-shirts, crewnecks, hoodies, a Black Hole Super Gulp cup, and more available at aesoprock.com.
Stream / Purchase Black Hole Superette
https://rse.lnk.to/BlackHoleSuperette
Watch the “Costco” video
Watch the “Send Help” video
Watch the “Checkers” video
Find exclusive merchandise
About Black Hole Superette
It’s late. You walk to the convenience store. You’re puttering up and down every aisle, perusing neon sugar waters and processed snacks. There’s a guy behind the counter asleep on a stool. Music plays on a small speaker and a shop cat darts by. Time slows.
The products are fascinating - each aisle longer than the last. There is a magazine section. The lighting is perfect. You can feel your hair growing and your clothes have never fit better. A calmness eases over you. Your feet float inches off the floor.
Leaving not being an option has never felt better. The air tastes sweet and this guy’s mixtape is amazing. Every scratch-off is a winner, every bagel freshly boiled, every candy bar glowing. And these prices... the savings feel almost inescapable. Welcome to Black Hole Superette. Stay awhile.
Aesop Rock photo by Ben Colen
Black Hole Superette track list
1. Secret Knock
2. Checkers
3. Movie Night
4. EWR - Terminal A, Gate 20
5. 1010Wins (feat. Armand Hammer)
6. So Be It (feat. Open Mike Eagle)
7. Send Help
8. John Something
9 Ice Sold Here
10. Costco
11. Bird School
12. Snail Zero
13. Charlie Horse (feat. Lupe Fiasco & Homeboy Sandman)
14. Steel Wool
15. Black Plums
16. The Red Phone
17. Himalayan Tak Chew
18. Unbelievable Shenanigans (feat. Hanni El Khatib)
May 29, 2025
LEVITATION Announces 2025 Lineup + New Location: TV On The Radio, Pavement, Mastodon, Boy Harsher, Built To Spill, Blood Incantation, Marie Davidson, UMO, Sudan Archives & Many More
Beloved independent festival, LEVITATION, returns September 25-28 with an expansive four day lineup and new venue home – Palmer Events Center – with downtown venue programming each night in the heart of Austin
FEATURING: TV ON THE RADIO • PAVEMENT • MASTODON • UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA • ACID BATH • THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE • BUILT TO SPILL• BOY HARSHER • SUDAN ARCHIVES • THE BLACK ANGELS • THE SWORD • BLONDE REDHEAD • WEDNESDAY • LA FEMME •
BLOOD INCANTATION • FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS • THE DANDY WARHOLS • DESTROYER • NEAL FRANCIS •
A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS • BEING DEAD • MODEL/ACTRIZ • PIXEL GRIP • ROSE CITY BAND
AND MANY MORE…
3 DAY PASSES and SINGLE DAY TICKETS are available HERE,
with a limited number of Early Bird options available now.
LEVITATION returns with another stacked four-day lineup and new festival grounds, Palmer Events Center, in addition to nightly venue programming across Austin’s Downtown Red River District. The expanded footprint brings larger acts to the weekend, and the festival’s Night Shows continue to offer intimate club experiences downtown, celebrating the independent music scene—from up-and-comers to national headliners. For over a decade, LEVITATION has delivered thoughtfully curated lineups that span psych, dream pop, punk, indie, metal, darkwave, electronic and all genres in between. Passes for LEVITATION 2025 are now on sale, and night show tickets can be purchased separately – all at the ticket link HERE.
Palmer Events Center will serve as the heart and main venue for LEVITATION 2025. Located on the shores of Town Lake overlooking the Austin skyline, the venue features an expansive 75,000 square foot environment for the indoor stage, providing a huge canvas for the artists on stage and 360 degree lighting and visuals, day or night. The indoor experience is accompanied by an outdoor stage set to a backdrop of lush trees and the Austin skyline. The new venue offers amenities like an air-conditioned, indoor experience for the main stage, ample outdoor green space, plenty of room to stretch out and hang, and an immersive setting for the music and visual experience that LEVITATION is known to offer. The new location brings abundant space for interactive art and video installations, a DJ stage, vintage clothing pop-ups, gear and record vendors, a food truck court, an expanded poster show, and much more to explore throughout the weekend.
“We’ve been searching for the right location to bring a multi-stage experience back to LEVITATION for years, and we found it right downtown. The venue offers a huge upgrade in production overall with endless possibilities for the visual experience, and great amenities - air conditioning, nice bathrooms, ample parking, a giant shaded outdoor courtyard, along with the production infrastructure needed for a world-class show. All of that in a beautiful park in the heart of the city,” explains LEVITATION co-founder and festival director Rob Fitzpatrick. “and the proximity to downtown means we’re still able to host shows in our Red River venues; these clubs are the heart and soul of our music scene in Austin and it wouldn’t be LEVITATION without them. We’re very excited to create something remarkable and built to last in this new home for the festival, and we can’t wait to experience this lineup with everyone in September.”
“LEVITATION 2025 brings back a larger multi-stage festival in the spirit of when it was held at the ranch - and just steps from where Fun Fun Fun Fest called home - but this time we’re doing it at a venue that has everything we need - and with a roof over our head,” adds Resound Presents founder Graham Williams. “We couldn’t be more excited about the new venue and the future of LEVITATION in this new space.”
The central festival hub at Palmer Events Center will host some of LEVITATION’s biggest acts with daytime and evening performances. Later each night, attendees can explore the city’s famed Red River and downtown venues with night shows running Thursday through Sunday at Stubb’s, Mohawk, Elysium, Kingdom, 29th St Ballroom, 13th Floor and more.
Friday, September 26 starts off strong and heavy at Palmer Event Center – stacking metal titans MASTODON, the only Texas show from the reunited ACID BATH, progressive death metal phenoms BLOOD INCANTATION and Austin’s own doom metal masters THE SWORD, plus more on the main festival grounds.
Saturday brings a head-spinning bill topped with NYC’s indie greats TV ON THE RADIO, the damaged grooves of UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA, infamous psych outfit THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE, dream rockers BLONDE REDHEAD, along with WEDNESDAY, LA FEMME, MODEL/ACTRIZ and more.
Sunday’s lineup combines a 90s indie dream lineup with a rare performance from PAVEMENT, indie stalwarts BUILT TO SPILL and DESTROYER with heavy dose of psychedelic rock from festival founders THE BLACK ANGELS, psych punks FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS, A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS and BEING DEAD.
The festival nighttime programming kicks off as early as Wednesday, September 24 and runs through the night of Sunday, September 28, featuring acts like MDOU MOCTAR, BEACH FOSSILS, BOY HARSHER, SUDAN ARCHIVES, THE DANDY WARHOLS, NEAL FRANCIS, DRUG DEALER and many more.
The full LEVITATION 2025 lineup at Palmer Events Center, with all corresponding night show programming, is detailed below.
PALMER EVENTS CENTER LINEUP
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
MASTODON • ACID BATH
THE SWORD • BLOOD INCANTATION
THE ARMED • SECRET CHIEFS 3 • CASTLE RAT
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
TV ON THE RADIO
UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA
THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE
BLONDE REDHEAD • WEDNESDAY • LA FEMME
THE RAVEONETTES • SWERVEDRIVER • MODEL/ACTRIZ
GOAT GIRL • YIN YIN • HOOVERiii
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
PAVEMENT
THE BLACK ANGELS • BUILT TO SPILL
DESTROYER • FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS
A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS • BEING DEAD
UPCHUCK • DILES QUE NO ME MATEN • POPULATION II
+ MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
NIGHT SHOWS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 - KICKOFF NIGHT
MDOU MOCTAR + MORE @ RADIO/EAST
BEACH FOSSILS + LAUNDER + GIRLPUPPY @ MOHAWK
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
BOY HARSHER + MARTIN REV + KUMO 99 @ STUBBS
NEAL FRANCIS + MORE @ MOHAWK
WARMSUSCHER + MORE @ 13TH Floor
TEEN SUICIDE + MORE @ BALLROOM
DESIRE + JOHNNY JEWEL @ ELYSIUM
STARJUNK 95 + DR. GABBA @ KINGDOM
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
SUDAN ARCHIVES + JAMILA WOODS + SINKANE @ STUBBS
THE DANDY WARHOLS + KULA SHAKER @ MOHAWK
PIXEL GRIP + MORE @ ELYSIUM
ROSE CITY BAND + MORE @ BALLROOM
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
PUP + JEFF ROSENSTOCK @ RADIO/EAST
DRUGDEALER + SKINSHAPE + SONS OF SEVILLA @ MOHAWK
PILE + FACS @ BALLROOM
LA FEMME (DJ) + MARIE DAVIDSON (LIVE) @ KINGDOM
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
BAMBARA + OMNI @ 13TH FLOOR
For updates and additional information on this year’s festival, keep up with LEVITATION on Instagram HERE and at levitation.fm.
ALEX G ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM HEADLIGHTS OUT JULY 18TH
ALEX G ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM HEADLIGHTS
OUT JULY 18TH VIA RCA RECORDS
NEW SONG “AFTERLIFE” OUT NOW - WATCH
HERE
[Photo credit: Chris Maggio]
“one of the most exciting and innovative songwriters working today” - GQ
“an indie rock prodigy” - Rolling Stone
“one of the most talented multi-instrumentalists and songwriters of this generation” - Document Journal
“a once-in-a-generation talent” - THE FADER
[Thursday 29th May, London]
Today, renowned artist and musical pioneer Alex G announces his highly anticipated tenth studio album Headlights set for release July 18th via RCA Records. Along with the announcement, Alex has released the first single “Afterlife” - listen HERE.
You can watch the Charlotte Rutherford-directed music video HERE.
Headlights is the latest record from Alex Giannascoli, better known as Alex G, the singer-songwriter whose surreal storytelling has been converting casual listeners into obsessives for more than a decade and a half. On this new project, Alex G revisits the reality-bending terrain that has made him both a beloved artist and an unassuming cultural figure. Like the songwriting giants he is cited as being in conversation with—Neil Young, Elliott Smith, Lucinda Williams—Alex’s take on Americana is at turns direct and impressionistic, suffused with mystery and melancholy. That heritage is audible all over the record, a gorgeous collection of absurd twists and mundane milestones narrated by one of the twenty-first century’s most celebrated and influential rock & roll architects.
Maybe more than any record before it, Headlights demonstrates how Alex’s lexicon of symbols and sounds has, over years and albums, grown into something bigger: a musical mythology that is affecting and unmistakable. This record is the perfect reminder that the best way to understand his impact is by listening to the songs.
You can pre-save Headlights HERE.
Alex will be returning to the road this year for a run of shows with Nilüfer Yanya in support of the new record - tickets are available HERE and additional dates have been added. All dates below.
Alex G - 2025 Live Dates:
Fri 06/13/25 - London, UK - Outbreak Festival
Sat 06/14/25 - Manchester, UK - Outbreak Festival
Fri 07/25/25 - Newport, RI - Newport Folk Festival
North American 2025 Tour:
Wed 09/10/25 - Boston, MA - Roadrunner
Thu 09/11/25 - Boston, MA - Roadrunner
Sat 09/13/25 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora
Sun 09/14/25 - Toronto, ON - HISTORY
Mon 09/15/25 - Toronto, ON - HISTORY
Wed 09/17/25 - Chicago, IL - The Salt Shed
Thu 09/18/25 - St Paul, MN - Palace Theatre
Sat 09/20/25 - Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom
Tue 09/23/25 - Oakland, CA - The Fox Theater
Wed 09/24/25 - Oakland, CA - The Fox Theater
Fri 09/26/25 - Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre
Sun 09/28/25 - Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Financial Theatre
Tue 09/30/25 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Tue 10/01/25 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Fri 10/03/25 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
Sat 10/04/25 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
Mon 10/06/25 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
Tue 10/07/25 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
Wed 10/08/25 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall
Fri 10/11/25 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore
Sati 10/12/25 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore
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